The field of the present invention is mirrors associated with vehicles for side viewing.
For many years vehicles have employed plane surface mirrors bolted or otherwise affixed to the exterior of the body or to the windscreen pillar adjacent to the driver position for side viewing. Such mirrors have actually changed little over the past 100 years. Aside from changing the profile and adding heaters, remote operation and the like, the plane surface mirror continues to simply protrude from the side of the vehicle.
It is understood that a substantial number of people believed to number in the hundreds are killed or injured each year by impact with such exterior mounted mirrors on both moving and stationary vehicles. An unknown number of accidents also are understood to occur because of the limited viewing capacity provided by such mirrors.
Side view mirrors are also disadvantageous in the amount of aerodynamic drag attributed to these devices. In part because of the lost fuel economy, car manufacturers use side view mirrors today which are much smaller than those employed on far older vehicles.
Attempts have been made to improve the efficiency of vehicle mirrors. Mirrors having vertical divisions to allow different or progressively altered views have been developed. However, these mirrors tend to be excessively large, take up excessive room in the vehicle and/or obscure additional view. Perception problems particularly at night, with multi-directional mirrors can also result. Consequently, no fully satisfactory solution has been forthcoming in the provision of full rear and side viewing in vehicles.